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Zoe Murtagh

We are delighted to welcome Newcastle based theatre maker and performer Zoe Murtagh as an Associate Artist.

Zoe is a performance maker, writer and facilitator based in the North. Her work is vibrant, interactive and often takes a little while to clear away - which means Zoe's work is often laced with storytelling and fun.

Inspired by music that makes you tingle, science lessons, black and white films, modern history and Kate Bush's dancing, she creates work that is fun, insightful and may even put a little bit of fire in your belly. She has created work for Fitter, Happier, More Productive at Camden People’s Theatre, GIFT Festival and Dioniz Theatre Festival in Croatia. Along with her collaborator Tory Copeland, Zoe is the current recipient of Northern Stage’s Title Pending Award for New Theatre.

Zoe believes that her work should feel like a gig, a party, a protest, a jukebox, a commune, a place for conflict, compromise and inter-generational friendships. Her work focuses on the way we perceive our individual and collective identities and covers themes of friendship, politics, ageing, mental health, heritage, high school movies and punk music.

She toured her first solo show Sacre Blue in various venues across the UK in 2015-2016 and was selected by Northern Stage to take this piece to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as part of Summerhall’s programme.

She has recently undertaken a regional tour of her newest work The Lamppost Petition. This piece was created through the Bridging the Gap scheme supported by ARC Stockton. Her current work focuses on ‘radical ageing’, family histories and the way our stories shape who we become.

She is also currently working with Equal Arts and Search Newcastle to deliver storytelling workshops with different older people groups. Her work often involves delivering workshops with students and young people and she is beginning to develop a cabaret act inspired by drag, famous speeches and popular culture.

Zoe's previous work/productions include:

What the World Needs Now by Peader Kirk – September 2015
Creative Age Facilitator – Feb – March 2016Sacre Blue – March 2016 Scratch July 2015The Lamppost Petition – September 2016Nutmeg – ARCADE New Writing Scratch Night – January 2017